thep
ts iij
'e Sl j
c of |
have
-tioti
ie m
11 Ret
The Battalion
Vol. 70 No. 80
14 Pages
Wednesday, February 23, 1977
College Station, Texas
News Dept. 845-2611
Business Dept. 845-2611
iyinj
<as 8}
>e set ay
'aski
tion'ft
ave m;
ay a@
nance,
'chan#
our i
le plaij
nitial funding problems plague
roposed A&M day care
By PHYLLIS LEE
Funding problems plague the proposed
care center for children of Texas A&M
Iniversity students.
Jerry Bryant, education administration
Tie! raduate student and member of the day
it the) ire center advisory committee, said that
mding the center until it becomes self-
jfRcient is the major problem.
Results of a Student Senate day care
ryarei snter survey that ran between Feb. 27
ioach I ''d March 5, 1976 revealed that there was
dire need for the center and a ready
ientele to use the service.
“Married students with children, espe-
ially those living off-campus, have a defi-
iteneed for this center,” Bryant said.
He began work on the proposal last
wnth. At that time, he said, he hoped
tudent Government could finance the
is hert
said.
program but he discovered that a current
budget was not available to submit to the
Senate Finance Committee.
“Last summer the budget was estimated
at around $48,000 per year,” Bryant said.
He explained that some costs had changed
since then, leaving the proposed budget
outdated.
Revenue from the day care center tui
tion would help defray costs and eventu
ally allow the institution to become self-
sufficient, Bryant said. He estimated that
within two years the center could support
itself.
“At this time, outside funding seems
more desirable,” Bryant said. He ex
plained that anything bought with student
service fees would be property of the
state. Once the center became self-
igtoi
in eft
e.
rt us
se ofi
thee
F theiil
L'oach
r earhook decision draws opposition
eneoiit!
n whe!
ne. Sit
njun
it nek
■ bid
ght
1 within;
il lateii
eral K
s gave
tage.
ml
sufficient, problems would occur in trans
ferring the property, Bryant said.
“Right now, we are looking toward pri
vate foundations within the state,” said.
Before presenting the proposal to a pri
vate organization, Bryant said a current
budget had to be prepared. Next, a full
time director and advisory committee had
to be selected and a two-year plan of oper
ation prepared.
Bryant said that once funds are avail
able, the next problem was a building for
the center. The proposed building is part
of the Unitarian Church at 305 Old Col
lege Road in College Station. The building
needs renovation to meet state day care
requirements, he said. A license to oper
ate the day care center would also be
needed.
“I think that if we opened the center
center
with 30 or 50 available positions for chil
dren, it would be filled within the first
week,” Bryant said.
Fred McClure, Texas A&M student
body president, said former students may
be one solution to the funding problem.
The student service reserve fund could
also ease the center’s financial situation,
said Stan Stanfield, student government
vice president of academic affairs. Stan
field said the reserve fund is available year
round.
“Each year, five per cent of student
service fees are set aside in case a worthy
project needs funds,” Stanfield said.
Stanfield said he believed the Student
Senate could request the money from the
administrator of the fund. Dr. John J.
Koldus, vice president for student affairs.
McClure says board violating rule
By LA DONNA YOUNG
A decision by the Texas A&M Univer-
y on | ty Student Publications Board to sell Ag-
leland yearbook space to recognized and
nrecognized organizations on an equal
asishas been called a violation of Univer-
regulations by Student Government
resident Fred McClure.
Prior to last week’s decision, organiza-
ons not recognized by Texas A&M’s Stu-
ent Organizations Board had to buy
lace at advertiser’s rates, twice the price
arged to recognized organizations,
ages for those groups were located in the
idex section of the book.
“It is in my opinion that the Student
Publications Board is violating University
Rules and Regulations through its recog
nition’ of unrecognized organizations,”
McClure wrote in a letter to Clyde
Freeman, executive vice president for
administration.
Freeman is out of town until Friday and
has not seen the letter.
Publications Board Chairman Bob G.
Rogers said there is a misunderstanding
about the connection between the Aggie-
land and the University.
According to University regulations,
only recognized organizations can use
University facilities and services.
“Even though the Aggieland does not
fall under the division of student services,
it is a student publication,” McClure said
in an interview Tuesday.
Rogers disagrees that the book is a form
of University services. He said the Uni
versity does not control content of the Ag
gieland. Facilities and services fees are
required by the University. The purchase
of a yearbook is optional, Rogers said.
Gary Baldasari, editor of the Aggieland,
said Monday that the board’s decision
dealt with how to cover a part of Univer
sity life and not with recognizing organiza
tions.
Rumor false, engineers say
Oceanography building doesn’t lean
vt
Appearances can be deceiving. Although the Oceanography
Building appears to be leaning through the eyes of this pho
tographer, building engineers insist it is perfectly straight.
Battalion photo by Steve Beis
By DEBBIE LIGHTFOOT
The Oceanography and Meteo
rology Building (O&M) does not lean
toward President Williams’s office,
or in any other direction, according
to three men who know the building
well.
J. O. Adams, director of facilities
planning and construction; Vance
E. Moyer, professor of meteorology
and O&M building chairman, and
Jake Canglose, meteorological engi
neer and assistant building proctor,
agreed Friday there is no factual
basis for the rumor that one corner of
the building has sunk seven inches
since it was built.
“As far as I know, it is a perfectly
sound structure,” Adams said. “You
can rest assured it is not going to fall
down.”
The rumor is one of several that
have spread about Texas A&M Uni
versity’s tallest building since its
construction began in 1970. Moyer
said the first rumor, caused by a
steel shortage, started even before
the building was completed in 1972.
Construction was interrupted
after six to eight of the building’s 15
stories were completed because
steel used as the skeleton of the
structure was temporarily unavail
able, Moyer said.
The story that spread around
campus, however, was that the
foundation had cracked.
“There was no crack in the foun-
(See RUMOR, Page 8.)
Baldasari said there are many students
involved in unrecognized organizations
and those students buy yearbooks.
“Since they’re buying the book they
have a right to have their pictures in it,”
he said.
The board’s decision was not unani
mous. Jerri Ward, senior economics major
and board member, voted alone against the
proposal. She said she could not see the
policy as strictly a fiscal one. She said in her
opinion the decision was contrary to the
philosophy of the recognized organiza
tions .
McClure said that the board’s decision
is making an exception to a University
regulation. In the letter he cited section
69, which sets guidelines for recognized
organizations, as the violated regulation.
He said he feared that this exception
could set a precedent for future ones. If
there are going to be regulations, he said
they need to be enforced.
McClure explained that his letter to
Freeman expressed his own opinion and
was not written in behalf of the Student
Government.
He said if the Student Government
should decide to pass a resolution against
the publications board decision, he would
again write Freeman, but this time he
would be speaking as the Government
president.
It was that kind of night
Assistant coach Norman Reuther, and forward Joey Robinson, each
express anguish at one of the referee’s calls. The Aggies lost to Arkansas
63-62, and finished the season tied with Texas for fourth. (See related
story on page II).
Battalion staff photo
New staff parking spaces, bicycle lanes
considered by A&M Traffic Panel
By CINDY JACOBSON
Parking spaces are scarce, and with con
struction overtaking some parking areas
and the increasing number of students,
finding a place to park is becoming more
difficult, Dr. Don Woods, chairman of the
University Traffic Panel said.
Dr. Woods said at the traffic panel
meeting last week that one of the main
areas of concern is Lamar and Lubbock
streets. The two streets carry more than
7,000 vehicles each day in addition to
pedestrian traffic.
The area also is being considered to
provide new parking spaces for about 100
staff members whose parking lot will be
used as a work and storage area when li
brary construction begins.
The panel suggested reducing those —
Lamar and Lubbock streets — to one lane
to accommodate parallel parking.
The plan has to be approved by Dr.
John J. Koldus, vice president for student
services, as well as an executive commit
tee composed of all the University’s vice
presidents.
Another parking problem considered
by the panel involves the corner of
Throckmorton and Joe Routt. Shuttle
buses need eight feet to make a turn, and
with the cars parked close to that corner
only a nine-foot area is available.
Five spaces will have to be removed to
give the buses more room to make the
turn and to prevent dented fenders and
irate owners. Woods said.
Another parking problem is on New
Main Drive. Although parking is prohib
ited on that street, no signs indicate it as
such. Woods said he expects a sign to be
put up by next week allowing parking only
after 3 p.m.
The panel recommended the street be
closed to maintain a clear entry to the
campus and provide for a separate bicycle
lane.
Bikes and cars race alongside one
another leaving the bicycles at a disadvan
tage, Woods said. For safety and con
venience, the panel suggested marking the
bicycle lanes on New Main Drive, he said.
Parking permits were also discussed by
the panel. Because of some misuse of the
carpool permits, which cost $12 for three
participants, the panel suggested the price
be raised to $48, the cost of a reserved staff
parking space, regardless of how many
people are in the carpool.
The next meeting of the traffic panel
will be March 2 at 3:15 p.m. in Rudder
Tower.
Alone in U.S
ORES'
By JOHN TYNES
Battalion Staff
George Raczowski has been fairly suc-
essful in life. He immigrated from Poland
ndbecame a United States citizen. He has
^good job teaching at Texas A&M Univer-
iity with a fairly sound future.
Raczowski has made a life for himself in
merica; but without his wife and daugh-
erhis success has gone unfulfilled.
Raczowski’s wife and daughter live in
oland. He hasn’t seen them in 11 years.
Counting difficulties with the Polish gov-
rnment may prevent him from ever see-
ng them again.
Raczowski came to the United States in
uly 1966 to visit some friends. At the
ime, he says, he did not plan to immi-
!rate to the United States.
- .— 1 was just a visitor,” Raczowski says,
i A ./ There was no even thinking I would
lay.”
Professor’s family back in Poland
However, almost immediately upon ar-
ing, he asked to have his status as an
' . dien changed from visitor to immigrant.
He had some difficulties convincing the
U.S. Immigration Department that immi
gration had not been his intent all along,
mmigration officials were reluctant to let
him change his status.
Eventually, he was granted immigrant
status and went to work at the Milwaukee
School of Engineering. By the time he be
came a citizen on July 17, 1973, he was
teaching at Texas A&M University in the
Mechanical Engineering Department.
Raczowski said he left his wife and
daughter in Poland because he did not
plan to stay in the United States perma
nently. As soon as he decided to remain,
he began trying to either visit them in Po
land or get them out of Poland entirely.
But after 11 years, "he has apparently
made little progress toward his goal of a
reunited family.
An international agreement signed in
Helsinki, Finland in August 1975, by the
United Stated, Poland, and several other
European nations refers in part to cases
like Raczowski’s.
The agreement states that the countries
that sign it will give favorable considera
tion to applications for visas or passports
from persons who desire to visit or be re
united with members of their family.
Raczowski had dual citizenship in the
United States and Poland for a couple of
years and during that time, he was afraid
to return to Poland for any reason. He said
the Polish government might have found
some excuse to keep him there.
The whole situation was complicated by
the illness of Raczowski’s father, who has
Parkinson’s Disease, a deterioration of the
body’s nervous system. He is not expected
to live much longer, and Raczowski wants
to see him before his death.
The Helsinki Agreement also includes a
clause that says the participating nations
will give special attention to visa requests
of an urgent nature, such as requests sub
mitted by persons who are ill or old.
Finally, after paying $1,500 to the Polish
government and waiting a year, Raczowski
was allowed to renounce his Polish citizen
ship. At that time, it became possible for
him to go to Poland without fear of the
Polish authorities, they denied his applica
tions for visas. He has applied three times
in all and each time he has been rejected.
Raczowski said these violations of the
Helsinki Agreement have been pointed
out to the Polish government, but he still
cannot see his family.
Mrs. Raczowski has also tried to obtain
visas, passports and emigration papers,
but the Polish government has refused her
several times.
Raczowski has kept a file of all the corre
spondence he has written or received con
cerning the case since he came to the
United States. It is all collected in a bound
folder that is now several inches thick.
He has written many times to various
senators, congressmen, political leaders,
journalists and other influential figures in
an effort to find someone who can help
him rejoin his family.
Included on the list of people who have
received letters from Raczowski are Sen.
John Tower, Sen. Lloyd Bentsen, Rep.
Olin Teague, former President Gerald
Ford, former Secretzary of State Henry
Kissinger, AFL-CIO President George
Meany, the U.S. State Department, the
Polish Ambassador to the United States
and the United States Ambassador to Po
land.
Sen. Tower has been the most active
political figure in Raczowski’s case. Begin
ning in 1973, he has written several letters
to the State Department requesting aid
and advice in the matter.
A spokesman for Tower’s office in Dallas
said yesterday that Tower is still trying to
help Raczowski, but that the Polish gov
ernment is making things difficult.
The spokesman said senators cannot
legally approach a foreign government
personally so they must work through the
State Department. Tower has recently
pointed out to the Polish government
their violation of the Helsinki Agreement
through the United States Embassy in
Warsaw, Poland, the spokesman added.
They are now awaiting a reply.
Sen. Bentsen has also shown a desire to
help Raczowski by corresponding with
various governmental agencies that might
be able to resolve the situation'
Sally Shelton, legislative aide to
Bentsen, also attributes the problem to
the Polish government’s refusal to cooper
ate.
“I think this case is clearly covered by
the Helsinki Agreement,” she said. She
added, however, that there are thousands
of similar cases in the United States that
the State Department is also handling.
Although Raczowski has written dozens
of letters to many other individuals, very
few replies have been received. Of the re
plies that have been received, most say
there is little or nothing the person can do
to help.
The United States Embassy in Warsaw
has also written many letters to various
people on the subject, but they insist they
are doing everything possible to solve the
problem.
Raczowski said he has almost given up
hope. He said his wife is discouraged also,
and he his marriage may be failing because
of the strain.
A gleam of hope came this week in the
form a letter from National Security Ad
viser Zbigniew Brzezinski. The letter from
President Carter’s new White House ad
viser asks Raczowski to supply a brief
summary of his case so that he can person
ally forward it to the State Department.
Raczowski said he hopes the letter sig
nifies that the government is finally get
ting serious about bringing his troubles to
an end.
Weather
Partly cloudy and windy tonight
and tomorrow. Fair and cooler
through Thursday. Northerly winds
15 to 25 mph. High today in the low
70s, low tonight in the low 30s.
Slight chance of precipitation today
and tomorrow.